Perinatal Neuroscience Foundations Course​

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This course is designed for healthcare professionals wanting to gain knowledge on the fascinating changes in the brain during pregnancy and the postpartum period. We explore the science behind 'mommy brain' and challenge the negative narratives surrounding motherhood and mental health. Participants will gain insights into the brain changes associated with perinatal mental illness, as well as the impact of stress and mental load on the parental brain. Finally, we will discuss strategies to protect and enhance brain health, including the roles of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy.

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• This 9h live online course is over 2 days. 

• CEUs are available 

• Discounts available for students, groups of 3 or more, and those in low-to-middle income countries 

• The course is open to a broad range of professionals: social workers, psychotherapists, psychologists, midwives, nurses, OBs, pediatricians, family doctors, etc. Essentially anyone working with perinatal populations. 

• Start date: coming soon

 

Join us in uncovering the remarkable adaptations of the parental brain and the factors that support its well-being.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Course details:

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• Module 1: Introduction to the brain — understanding baseline neuroscientific concepts; re-examining the meaning and social use of “mommy brain.”

• Module 2: Brain changes in parents — how pregnancy and postpartum (for birthing and non-birthing parents) impact brain structure and function; effects of hormones, parenting experience, feeding mode, etc.

• Module 3: Attachment, stress, and mental load — how stressors, mental load, expectations, and parent-child interactions relate to brain changes and parental mental health. 

• Module 4: Perinatal mental health and the brain — examining how perinatal depression, anxiety, psychosis, trauma or loss affect the brain; introducing ways to integrate this knowledge into clinical support and interventions. 

• Module 5: Supporting perinatal brain health — strategies to protect and enhance brain health: sleep, exercise, nutrition, social support, psychotherapy, medications, possibly brain stimulation, and applying evidence-based approaches. 

• Module 6: Putting the parental brain into perspective — broader societal and systemic factors influencing parental brain health; integrating neurobiological knowledge for perinatal support, mental health risk mitigation, and care planning.

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Beyond neuroscience: the course aims to give you practical tools to use in clinical settings — for working with perinatal clients experiencing mental health or neuro-psychological issues.